Louisiana Lottery announces big changes to Mega Millions

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Louisiana Lottery announces big changes to Mega Millions

NEW ORLEANS — Starting jackpots will increase for the Mega Millions multistate lottery game starting Oct. 28, as will the price of a ticket.

According to a news release from Louisiana Lottery Corporation, the starting jackpot will increase from $15 million to $40 million, and odds of winning the $1 million match-5 prize will get better, going from 1 in 18.5 million to 1 in 12.6 million.

The cost per play will increase to $2, the first ticket increase in the history of the game, lottery officials said.

Odds of winning the jackpot will increase from 1 in 258.9 million to 1 in 302.5 million. Average jackpots are expected to rise to $371.4 million.

Five white ball numbers will be removed for a total of 70, and 10 numbers will be added to the field of yellow Mega Ball numbers for a total of 25.

The Mega Millions $1 Megaplier ticket add-on option will still allow players to multiply any non-jackpot prize up to 5 times, including the $1 million match-5 prize, depending upon the Megaplier number selected during the drawing.

Mega Millions is played in 46 jurisdictions, including Louisiana, by choosing five white ball numbers and one yellow Mega Ball number. T

he jackpot is won by matching all six numbers, but the game offers eight additional prize levels for matching various combinations of the numbers drawn; six of those prize tiers will increase. Drawings are held Tuesday and Friday nights at 10 p.m.

Mega Millions game changes take effect for tickets purchased beginning Oct. 28 for the first drawing on Oct. 31. In order to prepare for these changes, the Lottery has progressively suspended the multidraw purchase option for Mega Millions tickets. The multidraw option allows players to purchase plays for 20, 10, five, four, three or two advance, consecutive drawings. The Mega Millions multidraw option will be reinstated Oct. 28, when sales start for the new game version.